Bright's Old Tobacco Sheds on the market
A glimpse into the inner workings of Victoria’s once thriving tobacco industry is being offered for sale, with Bright’s Old Tobacco Farm expected to sell for about $1.1 million.
The property at 7377 Great Alpine Road was once part of the Victorian High Country’s tobacco industry, which only fully closed down in 2006 as a result of the withdrawal of two major buyers and a subsequent government buyout.
The current owners of the Old Tobacco Farm purchased the property 23 years ago, when it was still operating as a tobacco farm, and subsequently transitioned part of the former farm buildings and tobacco kiln into a museum.
Since then the property has traded as a café, retail outlet and tourism attraction.
The property is widely known as The Old Tobacco Farm. Photo: Supplied
Although the museum is not currently in operation, the property is being sold with permits for retail trade, which can include operating the museum.
The contents of the buildings – which include tools used during the tobacco growing days – are not included in the sale but can be negotiated.
“There are certainly a range of opportunities for this property to capitalise on its visibility, the extensive main road frontage and close proximity to the Bright township area as well as the idyllic valley outlook,” said Jason Reid, from the DRE Business Brokers division of Dickens Real Estate Brigh.
The property consists of a freehold component of 1.18 hectares, with a frontage of 138 metres to the main Great Alpine Road, with a further 1.65 hectares of Crown Land that is held under long-term lease and which grants private access to the Ovens River reserve.
As well as numerous sheds associated with the property’s former usage, there is a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home with a large recreation area and adjacent solar-heated swimming pool, plus a small cottage suited to weekend accommodation.
“The property could remain as a lifestyle holding with a passive cash flow as the vendor has a permit to operate an old wares, collectables or similar retail business, or to retain the current income from buildings rented for storage purposes.”
Despite the tourism and heritage aspects of the farm, the property is also being sold on its appeal to investors, with the potential to rezone the land for residential development, according to the agents.
“We have the 7377 Great Alpine Road property listed for sale at $1.1 million and we are anticipating interest will come from a number of quarters,” Mr Reid said.
“We are indicating to prospective purchasers they should carry out their own investigations and consult with the Alpine Shire as to permit requirements.”
Farms surrounding Bright and nearby Myrtleford once formed a crucial part of the Australian tobacco industry, which increasingly came under pressure at the turn of the century as farmers struggled to compete with international supplies.
In 2006 the majority of the region’s 143 licensed tobacco growers voted to accept a federal government and industry buy out.
Visitors to the region can still see numerous buildings associated with tobacco growing.
